Born in High Desert, Del Taco is ranked #1 among fast food restaurants in the United States

Founded in the High Desert, the Del Taco restaurant chain was ranked No. 1 among fast food restaurants nationwide, with In-N-Out Burger close behind.

USA Today’s annual readers’ rankings survey showed the popular Mexican restaurant taking the top spot after the newspaper’s “10Best editors” reviewed the list of nominees it received in its Readers’ Choice Awards.

Del Taco, owned by Jack in the Box, serves Mexican dishes including burritos, quesadillas, nachos, fries and breakfast.

The first Del Taco opened in 1964 and was located in Yermo, just east of Barstow. In 1976, Ed Hackbarth retained ownership and rights to three Barstow stores while he sold the business to investors.

As of 2023, California had the most Del Taco restaurants in the country, with nearly 360 stores and nearly 600 locations across the United States. Nearly half of them are owned and operated by franchisees, the company said.

2. KFC

Known for its “finger-licking good” chicken, KFC ranked No. 2 in the USA Today survey.

There are over 25,000 KFC outlets worldwide that serve its special chicken recipe with a blend of 11 herbs and spices.

3. Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A has been dethroned from its top spot over the past two years and now ranks third among fast food restaurants.

The restaurant offers a variety of chicken dishes, including sandwiches, nuggets, waffle fries and cow mascots that implore customers to “eat more chicken.”

Chick-fil-A serves freshly prepared food in more than 3,000 restaurants in 48 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and Canada, the company said.

4. In-N-Out Burger

A Southern California favorite since 1948, In-N-Out Burger is best known for its “Double-Double” burgers, fries and shakes made with real ice cream.

Also on the menu is the company’s not-so-secret menu, including the popular “Animal Style” burger, cooked with mustard and topped with lettuce, tomatoes, grilled onions, pickles and extra spread.

Lynsi Snyder, the granddaughter of the burger chain’s founders, took over as president in 2010 and expanded the burger empire to other states, including Arizona, Utah, Texas, Oregon, Colorado and Idaho, with 400 restaurants.

Snyder plans to open a store in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2026, followed by New Mexico and Washington.

5. Hardee’s

Hardee’s is best known for serving thick, juicy burgers and homemade biscuits. The fast food chain with the smiling Happy Star mascot also offers a variety of meal trays, sandwiches and breakfast items.

In 1997, Carl Karcher Enterprises purchased Hardee’s for $327 million, creating a giant chain with more than 3,000 Hardee’s stores and nearly 700 Carl’s Jr. stores.

Carl’s Jr. is primarily found in the West/Southwest United States, while you’ll see Hardee’s in the Midwest and East Coast.

6. Captain D’s

Captain D’s offers platters of fried catfish or whitefish, grilled salmon, blackened tilapia or fried shrimp, served with Southern-style sides like gumbo and corn.

Captain D’s opened as Mr. D’s Seafood and Hamburgers in Donelson, Tennessee in August 1969. Five years later, the company changed its name to Captain D’s Seafood.

The company has more than 500 stores, primarily in Virginia, Texas, Illinois, Missouri, Georgia, Arkansas and Alabama.

7. Taco Bell

Taco Bell was founded by Glen Bell in 1951 and three years later launched Bell’s Drive-In and Taco Tia in the San Bernardino area.

In 1962, he opened his first Taco Bell restaurant in Downey, serving what his customers called “Tay-Kohs,” the company said.

Owned by Yum! Brands, Taco Bell serves tacos, burritos, and the popular Cheesy Gordita Crunch, Crunchwrap Supreme, and Nachos BellGrande.

As of 2023, Taco Bell operated nearly 8,600 restaurants worldwide, according to Statista.

8. Popeyes

Founded in New Orleans, Popeyes is best known for its “famous fried chicken” served Southern-style with a biscuit, mac and cheese, Cajun fries, red beans and rice, coleslaw or mashed potatoes, and Cajun gravy.

9. Zaxby

Zaxby’s menu includes fried chicken, sandwiches, fingers, wings, salads and more.

They also serve fried white cheddar bites, fried pickles and loaded fries.

10. Arby’s

As the nation’s largest sandwich chain says, “Arby’s, we got the meats!” Specifically, the chain’s roast beef sandwiches, deli-style sandwiches, burgers, wraps, chicken sandwiches and more.

Earlier this month, Arby’s brought back its popular crispy, golden brown, fried, triangular-shaped hash browns.

You can contact Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz at RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on X @DP_ReneDeLaCruz

This article was originally published on Victorville Daily Press: High Desert-born Del Taco ranked No. 1 fast-food restaurant